• Free cancer screening to continue at Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals.
• Cervical and breast cancers for women and prostate cancer for men are tested at the two facilities.
Image: FILE
The Nairobi county government has urged residents to go for screening at county hospitals after 30 people were diagnosed with cancer within a week.
The diagnoses were made during a free cancer screening exercise currently spearheaded by the office of Governor Mike Sonko.
County Health executive Mohammed Dagane said yesterday that 509 city residents turned up for screening at Mama Lucy and Mbagathi hospitals last week.
The screenings were for cervical and breast cancers for women and prostate cancer for men.
“Seven women were diagnosed with breast cancer and one man tested positive for prostate cancer at Mama Lucy Hospital. In Mbagathi Hospital, 12 women were found to have cervical cancer,” he said.
Mama Lucy Hospital medical superintendent Musa Mohamed said that the eight cancer cases detected at the facility were in the early stages.
Mohamed said that with proper medication, the cases could be successfully managed.
“We want to tell the victims that the situation can be controlled because they are not at advanced stages,” Musa said.
Dagane has called upon city residents to continue showing up for screening not only for cancer but also for other non-communicable diseases.
“Residents also need to get checked on other diseases that come as a result of lifestyle choices,” he explained.
The screening will be offered throughout and the county has pledged to ensure all required services are available.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has urged city residents to take advantage of the free exercise done in collaboration with Kenyatta National Hospital.
Meanwhile, the county is set to embark on a cancer sensitisation programme that seeks to highlight preventive measures.
The programme to be launched by the governor will focus more on lifestyle and food people consume and how healthy habits can prolong lives.
Dagane said that cancer treatment is not easily achievable and the focus has to be on preventive rather than curative measures.
The Health executive said the county will work with relevant stakeholders to create maximum awareness on preventive measures.
“We have been told it's more about the lifestyle and the environment we stay in and other minor factors and that's why we have to go back to the drawing board and address this issue head-on," he said.
The county government is also seeking partnerships with neighbouring counties and the national government in setting up cancer research and education centres.
(edited by O. Owino)